Wire terminal device having screw guiding means



M. MORSE Nov. 16, 1965 WIRE TERMINAL DEVICE HAVING SCREW GUIDING MEANS Filed Sept. 9, 1965 United States Patent 3,218,602 WEE TERMINAL DEVlCE HAVING SCREW GUIDING MEANS Milton Morse, 1 Horizon Road, Fort Lee, NJ. Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,707 3 Claims. (Cl. 33997) This invention relates generally to the field of Wire terminal devices employed in connecting, in both electrical and mechanical senses, a wire conductor to a terminal board or other structure by means of a single screw. Devices of this type are generally known in the art, and the invention lies in specific constructional details permitting improved ease of installation and disconnection, as well as superior mechanical strength of the interconnection formed therewith.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved wire terminal device of a type which may be selectively engaged beneath the head of, and with the shank of, a screw, without the necessity of completely disengaging the screw from its threaded interconnection with a terminal board or similar structure.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved wire holding device in which the tightening of the screw may serve to project conductor-piercing tines through the insulative covering of a stranded wire conductor disposed therebeneath, and simultaneously engage the screw head With other portions of the device to prevent sliding disengagement of the device from beneath the screw head.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved wire terminal device of the class described which may be conveniently formed using wellknown metal stamping processes from a unitary blank of material, using stamping equipment existing and wellknown in the art.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved wire terminal device in which the total cost of production may be a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the shank of the screw which mounts the device upon a terminal board serves, in cooperation with other members comprising the device, to maintain the conductor in predetermined position with respect to the device.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the completed device, in installed condition, occupies very little more total area on a terminal board than the area of the screw head beneath which it is disposed.

Still another feature of the invention lies in the provision of improved means to prevent relative movement of the conductor being engaged with respect to the device as the same is installed beneath the head of a screw, which installation simultaneously serves to force the above-mentioned tines into the stranded conductor.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view in perspective of the embodiment, showing the same in installed condition upon a terminal board and engaging an insulated stranded wire conductor.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane 33 in FIGURE 2, and partially in elevation.

FIGURE 4 is an offset sectional view as seen from the plane 44 in FIGURE 3, also partially in elevation.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, is preferably formed from a unitary blank of material to include an outer surface 12, an inner surface 13, a first continuous side edge surface 14, a second continuous side edge surface 15, indented end edge surfaces 16 and 17, correspondingly projecting end edge surfaces 18 and 19.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, the device includes an upper generally elongated member 20, having an arcuate terminal portion 21 and a planar portion 22. Extending inwardly from the body of the member is an inwardly bent wire conductor-penetrating tine 23 including a relatively wide base portion 24, and bounded by side edges 25 and 26 which converge to a sharp point 27. The member 20 also includes the upper portion 28 of a screw-engaging slot 29 which is formed by elongated side portions 30 and 31.

At an end oppositely disposed with respect to the arcuate portion 21 are a pair of upwardly bent terminals 32 and 33 interconnected with loop portions 34 and 35, respectively, the loop portions 34-35 in turn being interconnected, respectively, with angularly disposed elongated portions 36 and 37.

The lower ends of the portions 36 and 37 are bent at 38 and 39, respectively, to interconnect with a second generally elongated member 40 which includes the lower portion 41 of the slot 29.

The member 40 is of coextensive length with respect to the member 20, and includes an oppositely disposed inwardly bent tine 42 having a base 43, and side edges 44 and 45 which converge to a point 46.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, wherein the device 10 is illustrated in installed condition, the lower surface of the member 40 abuts the surface of a terminal board 47, wherein the same may be engaged by a conventional flat-headed screw 48, the screw 48 including a head portion 49 and a shank portion 50. If desired, the conductor 55 may be positioned within the device 10 before the same is inserted beneath the head 490i the screw 48, whereupon tightening of the screw results in a seating of the head such that the periphery 51 thereof engages the terminals 32-33 to prevent the device 10 from slipping beneath the screw head as the screw is subsequently tightened. As the head of the screw also overlies the tines 23 and 42, as the screw is tightened the tines are driven directly into the conductor 55, successively penetrating the insulative cover 56 and the stranded wire conductor 57 disposed therebeneath to effect both electrical and mechanical interconnection. It will be observed that, owing to the non-unilinear abutting surfaces 16-19, any tendency of the conductor to slip outwardly of the device in a rightward direction as seen in FIGURE 4 is effectively prevented, while the engagement of the conductor with the shank portion of the screw prevents any movement in an oppositely disposed direction.

Should it become necessary to disengage the conductor, it is necessary only to loosen the screw 48 to a degree sufficient to allow the device 10 to be slid beneath the head portion thereof, following which the natural resiliency of the device will cause it to assume the condition shown in FIGURE 1, wherein the conductor may be easily removed.

It may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in wire terminal devices in which, by resort to a single metallic stamping, a novel means is provided which may be conveniently engaged with an insulated stranded wire conductor, following which the same may be conveniently positioned beneath a screw head for subsequent tightening to cause full electrically conductive and mechanical engagement with a 3, terminal board or similar conductive mounting. As the device is formed from essentially fiat metallic stock, it may be manufactured conveniently using progressive dies from continuous flat metal stock with very little wastage of material.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. An improved Wire terminal device, comprising: a unitary metallic blank including a first elongated member having an arcuately-shaped end portion and a rectilinear medial portion, there being a conductor-penetrating tine extending from the plane of said first member toward the center of curvature of said arcuately-shaped end portion, at least one upwardly bent terminal portion connected to an oppositely disposed end of said rectilinear portion, a second elongated member including a second arcuately-shaped end portion, and an elongated portion interconnecting said first and second elongated members for relative pivotal movement therebetwcen, there being a continuous slot extending into the body of said blank from a medial point on said first elongated member to a medial point on said second elongated member.

2. An improved wire terminal device, comprising: a

unitary metallic blank including a first elongated member having an arcuately-shaped end portion and a rectilinear medial portion, there being a conductor-penetrating tine extending from the plane of said first member toward the center of curvature of said arcuately-shaped end portion, at least one upwardly bent terminal portion connected to an oppositely disposed end of said rectilinear portion, a second elongated member including a second arcuately-shaped end portion, and an elongated portion interconnecting said first and second elongated members for relative pivotal movement therebetwcen, there being a continuous slot extending into the body of said blank from a medial point on said first elongated member to a medial point on said second elongated member; said second elongated member having a second conductorpenetrating tine extending from the body of said second elongated member toward said first conductor-penetrating tine.

3. An improved wire terminal device, comprising: a unitary metallic blank including a first elongated member having an arcuately-shaped end portion and a rectilinear medial portion, there being a conductor-penetrating tine extending from the plane of said first member toward the center of curvature of said arcuately-shaped end portion, at least one upwardly bent terminal portion connected to an oppositely disposed end of said rectilinear portion, a second elongated member including a second arcuatelyshaped end portion, and an elongated portion interconnecting said first and second elongated members for relative pivotal movement therebetwcen, there being a continuous slot extending into the body of said blank from a medial point on said first elongated member to a medial point on said second elongated member; said second elongated member having a second conductor-penetrating tine extending from the body of said second elongated member toward said first conductor-penetrating tine; said first and second arcuate terminals having mating non-unilinear edges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,231,916 2/1941 Jackson 339263 2,525,123 10/1950 Frank 339-97 2,934,737 4/1960 Gibson 33997 3,019,409 1/1962 Sarafinas 33995 X JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED WIRE TERMINAL DEVICE, COMPRISING: A UNITARY METALLIC BLANK INCLUDING A FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING AN ARCUATELY-SHAPED END PORTION AND A RECTILINEAR MEDIAL PORTION, THERE BEING A CONDUCTOR-PENETRATING TINE EXTENDING FROM THE PLANE OF SAID FIRST MEMBER TOWARD THE CENTER OF CURVATURE OF SAID ARCUATELY-SHAPED END PORTION, AT LEAST ONE UPWARDLY BENT TERMINAL PORTION CONNECTED TO AN OPPOSITELY DISPOSED END OF SAID RECTILINEAR PORTION, A SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER INCLUDING A SECOND ARCUATELY-SHAPED END PORTION, AND AN ELONGATED PORTION INTERCONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATED MEMBERS 